The Networked Application Performance Lifecycle™ experts, iTrinegy, today announced a major upgrade (Version 4.6) to their INE-Enterprise Network Emulator. This new module enables testing of IP over Radio and Radio over IP, ROIP applications and devices allowing the proper simulation of conditions caused by distance, adverse weather and terrain conditions. With an early take up by the military, the new module has already been successful.

With the announcement in January 2008 by US Central Command that it is now using its new RIPRNET (Radio-over-IP Router Network) for convoy operations in Iraq, was recently demonstrated the increasing importance of Radio over IP (ROIP) to military operations.

Unfortunately, tanks troops, etc, which are deployed in mountainous regions or built-in urban environments frequently, suffer radio interference, an interference which can be caused by the local terrain or adverse weather conditions, and IP transmissions are particularly sensitive to this which the latest ROIP systems aim to overcome.

Producers of Radio over IP [ROIP equipment], recognizing this, are looking for more controllable and repeatable ways to test that any new products they are developing are capable of operating effectively in adverse field conditions.

Allowing for full and repeatable controls of issues such as data loss and interference, INE- Enterprise permits, using wired connectors, testing of devices by emulating the behavior of radio networks. Including the ability to control the maximum amount of time any station may transmit before it must stop and another station begins transmitting, voluntary early release of the radio net and pause times before transmission etc., unique features are that it has built in a concept of a shared radio net. Together these correctly mimic real world transmissions, as there can be only one transmitter operating at any given time on a given frequency and so ensure the realistic nature of the test.

Applications that traverse the WAN are affected, today, by adverse network issues such as jitter, latency, packet drops etc; The added benefit the new INE-Enterprise module offers is IP over Radio which enables the testing of the conditions that impact IP over 'true' remote locations such as mobile shipping, oil rigs/fields and telcos working with WiMAX.